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Friday, June 22, 2012

I've been creating recipes using gluten-free steel cut oats for a couple of weeks now trying to find a recipe that I'm happy with entering in the Bob's Red Mill Spar for the Spurtle II.

Spar for the Spurtle is a competition Bob's Red Mill started holding last year. People compete for the chance to represent Bob's Red Mill at the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship in Scotland.

As most of you know, I entered last year with a sweet and indulgent recipe, Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Porridge. (Click the link to watch my video) I got the most online votes (likes). Thanks to all of you that voted. I wasn't chosen to be in the top three and compete in the live cook-off in Portland, but I had a blast and learned a lot. Congratulations again to last years winner Merry Graham. You can check out her recipe by clicking here.

Anyhow, I'm at it again this year and will be entering soon. This recipe was almost my entry (it was between this recipe and one other) but family and friends all chose the other recipe to enter. That means I can share this with you early.

I just love sushi. It's attractive, tasty, and easy to make. This particular breakfast sushi replaces the rice with gluten-free steel cut oats that have been soaking in almond milk for 2 days.

Let's get to it.

Ingredients

1 cup gluten-free steel cut oats

2 cups almond milk

1/4 cup egg beaters (1 scrambled egg)

1/4 cup tapioca flour

2 gluten-free sausage links

1/2 fresh avocado

3-4 slices of sun dried tomato

1 toasted nori sheet

Maple syrup for dipping

Step 1:
Pour the oats and the milk into a container with a lid and soak for 2 days. I tried soaking for just one day and the oats were still very, very chewy. I wanted chewy but not excessively chewy.

Step 2:
Drain and rinse the oats with water after they've soaked for 2 days. Then stir in 1/4 cup tapioca flour.

Step 3:
Place a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo sushi mat. Put a dollop (approximately 1/2 cup) of the oat mixture on the nori.

Step 4:
Gently spread the oats to cover the nori sheet leaving a 1 inch strip untouched at the end furthest from you.

Step 7:
Using both hands, grab the end of the bamboo mat closest to you and in one quick motion, flip the top over the center line of ingredients.

Step 8:
Squish the bamboo roll tightly with both hands forming the sushi into your choice of a square or a round log. I chose round. Then moisten the 1 inch nori strip that you left open at the end with a wet finger. Roll on over removing the bamboo mat and sealing the sushi roll.

Step 9:
Slice the sushi roll with a very sharp knife wet with water.

Step 10:
Plate the sushi and serve with a warm maple syrup for a delicious and fun breakfast.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

This turned out delicious. I'm getting really good at baking a perfect cheesecake with a smooth, non discolored, uncracked surface.

I do have a few hints for making a perfect cheesecake. They are incredibly easy. Would you like to know? OK. Read on.

Hint #1Add a starch to your batter.

Hint #2Cook in a water bath or together with a pan of water in the oven.

Hint #3Cool under a large glass bowl or lid on the counter.

Following these simple hints, I always get a uniform top, without cracks. Try this new creation of mine for inspiration, because if you're like me, once you get the hang of making cheesecakes, you're life will become a parade of never ending cheesecake creations to dazzle your friends with.

I love cheesecake, but not the calories so I always try to make a "healthier" cheesecake.

Filling Ingredients

3 packages of room temperature Neufchatel cheese (8 ounce packages)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup EggBeaters (4 eggs)

1/4 cup sweet rice flour

1/4 cup potato starch

Dirt Ingredients

1 cup almond meal

1 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup oat bran

3 tablespoons golden flax seed meal

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

Dirt Step 1:
Whisk all the ingredients except for the butter together in a large bowl.

Dirt Step 2:Add the butter and cut it in, mix it in, and squish it in until it's almost a moist crumble that sort of wants to stick together, but not quite. It still should try to form a clump when a hand full is squished together.

Filling Step 2:Add the eggbeaters, thoroughly blending in. Then add in the flour and the potato starch. Blend thoroughly.

Cheesecake Step 1:Spray coat the inside of the spring form pan with your favorite gluten-free non-stick coating, or coat it thoroughly with butter.Dump the chocolate dirt into your spring form pan. Spread it around and up the sides pressing it firmly into place.

Cheesecake Step 2:Pour the filling on top of the chocolate dirt and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Place the cheesecake filled spring form pan on a baking sheet with a bowl or pan of water beside it on the middle rack. Keep a close eye on it towards the end. Over baking will create a crack.

Cheesecake Step 3:Cool on a rack on the counter covered with a lid or an inverted bowl. When completely cool, chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

Slice, serve, and enjoy! The "dirt" is so chocolaty and the crumbles make it a unique treat!